Focus on defense. I know that Symmetra can be played also in attack, but in these guides I will show only placements for the defender team. Note that some of them might work even for the attackers.

Safe placements. The Shield Generator has an unlimited duration and will keep working until destroyed. The enemy team will try to find and break it as soon as possible, so it is essential to place it in a hidden and “secret” location.

The best spots. I will show you some of the best placements in each map that work even at high SR, and alert when you should avoid an overused or risky one. Beside these locations, there are other viable options depending on your skill rating, but I skipped the obvious ones.

Position and range. The main spots have also pictures showing the max range of each Shield Generator.

No turret climbing or Mei required. For this series, I decided to not feature spots that can be reached only via Mei’s Ice Wall or turret climbing.

Shield Generator or Teleporter. I will not argue about the perfect choice on each map and point, but just explain the best spots for the former. Of course, some of these locations can be used also for the latter.

Please note. I used Sentry Turrets to mark most of the secondary or wrong Shield Generator placements. Unfortunately, it is necessary to restart the lobby to place a new one.

Click an image to enlarge it.

Hollywood

First Point

There aren’t many safe spots on the first point, but the one above is commonly considered the best one. It provides a great coverage, up to the choke, and is far away from the battle.

You might place the Shield Generator in the rooms below. The first two options are terrible as anyone roaming in the area will notice them, while the location in the second image offers more safety.

A list of frequently used places at low ranks that you should avoid:

The opponents will search thoroughly the tunnel (1st image) and all the space from this side of the gate (2nd image). It seems obvious, but many Symmetra players still put their Shield Generator or Teleporter here presuming to be safe. In truth, it is extremely easy to reach these locations with a mobile flanker.

Avoid the elevator (3rd image) because the generator is in plain sight, and can be destroyed easily by long-range attackers.

This spot in the corner (4-5th images) sometimes works at lower ranks.

Overall, there are no optimal placements on this side of the gate.

Second point

The only proper spot on the second point is the first defender’s spawn. It is well-hidden and enemies have literally no reasons to get here. The range of the generator is amazing as it encompasses the entire area.

Note: flankers passing by the corridor (last image) next to the green room could hear the noise produced by the Shield Generator. To avoid it, you can place the generator further behind, but that will also limit its range.

You can put the generator also behind the gate that leads to the next section of the map. It does work, but is also an overused placement, so experienced players that know about it will quickly destroy your ultimate.

Third Point

Once again, the defender’s spawn is your best option. Honestly, this placement is exceptional!

No one ever goes near the second one. It is placed at the edge of the section, and there are different unused rooms and corridors prior it (2nd image), so even the noise of the generator is completely dampened.

Your Shield Generator will survive for the entire game unless an opponent knows about this spot.

The range is also perfect as it encompasses the entire area, from the first choke to your final spawn.

Some players put the Shield Generator somewhere on the high ground area, but in my opinion that is an unsafe placement. It might work depending on your rank and the opponents you are facing, but isn’t a reliable position.

Vincenzo "Skulz" Milella

Vincenzo is an esports writer with five years of experience. Former head editor for Natus Vincere, he has produced content for DreamHack, FACEIT, DOTAFire, 2P, and more. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.